


About Damn Time

by rowofstars



Series: 31 Days of Ficmas 2017 [7]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: 31 Days of Ficmas, Christmas, Established Relationship, F/M, Ficlet, Fluff, Marriage Proposal, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-07
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2019-02-11 12:19:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12935133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rowofstars/pseuds/rowofstars
Summary: Emma finds something in the closet. For the 31 Days of Ficmas prompt #7 - Ring. You all know where this is going. ;)





	About Damn Time

**Author's Note:**

> There's a tiny bit of implied Swanfire Queen in here that is totally intentional. I meant to do more of it but it started to get too long.

“Hey, babe,” Emma called out from the back hallway. “What’s this?”

Neal came around the corner to see his girlfriend kneeling half in the old linen closet that they rarely used. It was stuffed full of random cleaning supplies, a plain tube of red wrapping paper, and a canister vacuum that had seen better days. He stopped cold when he saw what she was holding. “Uh…shit.”

“It’s a ring,” she said, frowning as she turned the small black velvet box. 

Neal’s eyes went wide, and he lunged for it, dropping to his knees on the floor beside her, but she moved it his reach. 

“What the _hell_ , Cassidy?” she asked, holding the box up and away from her so he couldn’t reach it. She swatted at his arm, and pushed him, and he stopped trying to grab it. “Where did you get this?”

He gave her an annoyed look and sat up on his knees. “At a store.” Her eyebrows lifted, and he huffed. “ _Yes_ , with _money_. I have a job now, you remember.”

She smirked and eyed the ring again. It looked vintage, but not - old - not in that stuffy way that made her think of something someone’s grandmother would wear. It was pretty, but not too delicate, and the stone was small enough that it wouldn’t draw attention, but still probably cost a fortune. “So...whose is it?”

“Yours,” he sighed.

Emma’s eyes snapped to him, and her mouth gaped open. “What?”

“If you want it, that is.” Neal shrugged and rubbed at the back of his neck. “I was gonna wait til Christmas, but that’s only ten days away and you’ve kinda already seen it…” He swallowed and took a breath. “And I am already on my knees.”

She blinked and looked from his face to the ring and back again. “What is - what - what are you saying?”

Neal reached for the box and she let him take it this time. He plucked the ring from the little foam insert and held it out for her, smiling. “Emma Swan, will you marry me?”

Emma blinked again, and for a second he thought he’d fucked up, but then his back hit the floor with a thud and he grunted. She peppered his face with kisses, not caring that the ring was trapped between them and poking her in the stomach. 

“Is that a yes?” he groaned.

She pressed her lips to his, firmly, and then pulled back with a bright smile. “Yes, you idiot.”

He grinned and then shifted so he could pull the ring free, and she held up her left hand in front of his face. With only slightly shaky hands, he slid it on her finger, and then kissed her palm.

“Gonna make an honest man out of me?” he asked, wiggling his hips beneath her.

She rolled her eyes and braced her hands on his shoulders as she pushed herself up. “Not possible.”

They righted themselves and stood up, but then Emma grabbed his hand. She tugged gently and he moved closer, wrapping his arms around her as his lips curved. 

“You’re serious, right?” she asked. “You’re not -”

He quieted her with a soft kiss. “I’m very serious, Emma. I wanna marry you, and I wanna keep being a family with you and Henry.”

She bit her lip and tilted her head. “And...Regina?”

Neal sighed heavily, and then grinned. “And Regina.”

Right on cue, Regina Mills opened the door of their small apartment, making an exaggerated groaning noise at catching them kissing as if this didn’t happen nearly every time she brought Henry over. Henry came running over for hugs, but Regina followed him, scowling. She reached out and lifted Emma’s hand, holding it up as she examined the new addition to her finger. 

“What’s this?” Her lips pursed for a moment, and then she looked over at Neal, her mouth breaking into a wide grin. “About damn time.”


End file.
